7000 +

[Colin C No.3]

The attendance figure at Belle Vue on a balmy evening in the 80's, to watch the Rovers Youth Team (Brevitt, Neil Woods, Paul Raven, Mark Rankine) play an Arsenal Youth Team (which included Kevin Campbell) in the first leg of the Youth Cup Final at Belle Vue. Arsenal won 5-1, if my memory serves me well, Campbell (later of Everton & I recall the winner of an England Cap) scoring a hat trick.

The point being?

People will turn out to watch a winning side. Not least of all if it includes a couple of 'homegrown' players.

[intake rover]

think it was 5-0 and campbell scored 4 including a right dive to get a penno.

[Spud]

And then got stretchered off didn't he?
Drew 1-1 in the return leg. Good times.

[newyankee]

Over 15,000 turned up in the fifties/sixties to watch Donny Boys play Brierley Hill. Look at the cost of these games against the cost these days and look at the employment situation these days compared to then. You cannot make judgements without looking at all the situations.

It's like saying the team from 1958 would beat todays team, it ain 't going to happen and therefore it's a pointless exercise.  The Dons used to get over 2,000 at games at Tattersfield when I worked there, they are lucky to get 500 this season, even with the success.

[jmt]

It was one of the first times I watched a rovers game,arsenal were fantastic, head and shoulders above us. The one thing that stood out was how big Campbell was.

[silent majority]

I remember it clearly, I had Alan Smith and Tony Adams sat right behind me, still have the programme they signed on the night.

Anybody else disappointed that Campbell's career never reached the heights that we thought it would after that night?

[Red wizard]

One of my first games i ever went to.

[Scooter]

One of my first games i ever went to.

Did we beat spurs in the quarter final. I think that might have been my first

[RedRover45]

Might be wrong but I think we won at White Hart Lane in the semis after extra time. Rankine scored the winner. I think we beat Man City at home in the quarters.

[neil grainger]

You're right RedRover45.

I went to White Hart Lane for that match (along with the O.P.) and I can see Rankine's goal now.

A great night.

[Sprotyrover]

yes and didnt the club sell the entire squad,well at least seven of them within
12 months!

[1879Rovers]

I remember all the talk being about this big black lad who had netted about 70 goals for Arsenal in the season. You always saw it when you came through school. There was always one lad twice the size of everyone else. Everyone on the sidelines would be giving it, 'He's not the same age!'. He was head and shoulders above everyone that night. We also had a good turn out for the semi (Think it was against Spurs). That was a good side, think we also knocked out Man City. Memory is going a bit.

[PDX_Rover]

Yep, went to Spurs. Great night. Remember the Arsenal game. Pop side, sunny evening and Campbell demolished us. He was like a giant compared to us. Mark Rankine's feet always looked massive to me...